Dear Lincolnwood Chamber Partners & Friends:

We are pleased to present the new edition of the Lincolnwood Illinois Chamber of Commerce 2018-2019 Community Resource Guide. This complimentary, hand-delivered publication connects you to the center of the Village of Lincolnwood.

At your fingertips is contact information for dozens of Chamber business members as well as easy access to useful information assembled from numerous community stakeholders including the Chamber of Commerce, the Village of Lincolnwood, the Lincolnwood Public Library, Oakton Community College, School District 74 and Niles Township High School District 219.

More than 4,500 copies are delivered door-to-door with an additional 1,500 copies distributed throughout the year via village hall new resident packages, at member businesses and at numerous Chamber-sponsored events. The community guide can also be found online at LincolnwoodChamber.com.

The Lincolnwood Chamber of Commerce & Industry is a coalition of area businesses, industries, organizations and professionals that pool their talents and resources to improve the economic, civic and cultural climate of our community. Your support of Lincolnwood’s vibrant business community and Lincolnwood Chamber members is important to the entire village. Please call us at (847) 752-4111 if you’d like information about becoming a Chamber of Commerce member.

Thank you to all of our advertisers who support our community in numerous ways and have made this guide possible. Please remember to support our local businesses.

See you around the neighborhood!

LINCOLNWOOD CHAMBER

OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

Lincolnwood Chamber of Commerce & Industry
4433 W. Touhy Ave., Mezzanine Level
Lincolnwood, IL 60712
Phone: (847) 752-4111
LincolnwoodChamber.com

The Chamber is the primary business liaison to the village. The Chamber staff is available to answer many business-related questions. The mission of the Chamber is to promote the welfare of all area citizens so that all facets of the Lincolnwood community shall prosper.

The Lincolnwood Chamber of Commerce and Industry provides programs and services to ensure a favorable business climate and acts as the vehicle to promote the area’s economic and social progress.

Board of Directors

President: Damien Kardaras
Alphameric Accounting

Vice President: Jennifer Spino
Alden Bennett Construction Co., Inc.

Keri Roberts
Friends of Lincolnwood

Rosamin Bhanpuri
Niles Township High School District 219

Elda Cinaj
CIBC

Elizabeth O’Connor
Fast Signs

Genelle Iocca
Lincolnwood Town Center

Bob Klairmont
Imperial Realty Company

Steve McNellis
Village Of Lincolnwood

Honorary Directors

Mike Klein
The Airoom Companies

Mike Loeber
Loeber Motors

Come join the Chamber!

• Effective and strong networking systems

• Promotes Chamber members

• Participate in community events

• Informational seminars and networking events

Membership has impact

Consumers are:

• 73 percent more likely to be highly aware of a business if they are a member of the Chamber.

• 68 percent more likely to think positively of its local reputation.

– Source: Shapiro Group, Atlanta, Georgia

Dear Lincolnwood Chamber Members, Residents & Visitors:

I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Lincolnwood, where successful businesses and strong values work together to support a community on the rise. In the following pages of this guide, you will find information about our village, which is committed to working as partners with the Lincolnwood Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its diverse membership, for the betterment of our village. The Chamber Board of Directors serves as a link between businesses, providing opportunities to meet, network and build local connections. For those businesses that are not yet part of the Chamber, please take this opportunity to join a group working toward an ever brighter future for Lincolnwood. If you are a resident, customer of a local business or simply a guest in Lincolnwood, please make it a point to use the services of the advertisers and Chamber members listed herein.

As the Mayor of Lincolnwood, I would like to share some information with you about the village we are proud to call home. Lincolnwood has a population of approximately 12,500 residents, with over 4,400 residences. The village’s municipal neighbors include the City of Chicago and the Village of Skokie. The community is a compact 2.7 square miles of mature, family-oriented neighborhoods on tree-lined streets and satellite parks. Our outstanding school district is a draw to young families who value education.

The village offers three major commercial corridors. The Lincolnwood Business Center offers space for light industry, warehouse and manufacturing. There are three active tax increment financing districts that provide funding opportunities for new and growing businesses. Revitalizing these areas supports the vision of modern (forward thinking) thriving business locations. I encourage you to join our flourishing business community by contacting Community Development Director Steve McNellis, whose information is listed in this booklet, and explore all of the options available.

Educationally, Lincolnwood School District 74 offers an award-winning elementary, middle school and junior high school with cutting edge facilities and an exceptional staff of educators. Niles West High School, which has been awarded honors nationally and provides one of the best public school educational experiences in the area, is located two miles from Lincolnwood in Skokie. Nearby private elementary and high school options include Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Notre Dame High School in Niles, Regina High School in Wilmette, Ida Crown and Arie Crown Jewish Academy, Hillel Torah NS Day School, Oscar Fasman Skokie Yeshiva in Skokie, MCC Academy in Morton Grove and ICC School in Chicago.

Our housing inventory runs the gamut from quaint bungalows and cottages, to ranch-style homes and the popular mid-century style split-levels. Condominium and apartment units round out the diverse offerings of residential options. Prices typically range from $300,000 to well over $1 million, appealing to first-time home buyers, growing families and empty-nesters. There has been significant gentrification of homes throughout our village, building strong communities. Residents who move to our village find many reasons to stay and establish roots. More than 30 percent of households have lived in their home for more than 20 years. The recent opening of The Carrington of Lincolnwood, joined by longtime resident Lincolnwood Place, gives the village two full-service premier independent and assisted living developments for elderly residents.

Lincolnwood residents are very proud of their rich cultural and ethnic diversity. The village has welcomed various ethnic groups from around the world, with approximately 34 percent of our residents immigrating from other countries. We celebrate the multi-cultural background which forms the patchwork that is the heartbeat of our community. In fact, approximately 47percent of residents speak a second language.

Lincolnwood is committed to the arts. We are proud of our Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra and the vibrant Youth Strings Orchestra. The chamber orchestra consists of the area’s finest professional musicians. We were one of the first communities in the area to establish an ongoing commitment to the arts by providing and underwriting space and programs for sculpture installations, and exhibiting sculptures from throughout the world in Centennial Park and the Lincolnwood Business Center. Showcasing various Chicago area artists in our municipal center earned us the title of an “Arts Friendly Community” in 2007, and is strongly supported to date. The Lincolnwood Public Library, established in 1978, underwent a complete renovation and modernization in 2017. A variety of resources and activities are offered for all ages, at its location in the center of the village.

The village has continued to experience significant redevelopment over the past 10 years. Recent openings include Stefani’s Prime Restaurant, Libanais Lebanese Eatery, Somerset Alpha shared-working space, the 383-unit Carrington of Lincolnwood senior living facility, 90 Miles Cuban restaurant, AT&T retail store, and the expansion of the original flagship Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria restaurant. In partnership with the City of Chicago, plans are in final development for a new streetscape along Devon Avenue, east of Lincoln Avenue. This project will breathe new life into an existing business district and draw interest for new businesses. Streamlining processes and permitting will help to attract new commercial tenants through that corridor in an effort to improve and grow our village.

I proudly join with the Lincolnwood Chamber of Commerce and Industry to welcome you to Lincolnwood, where ”Chicago’s North Side meets the North Shore.” Lincolnwood truly is Chicago’s Best Kept Secret! We hope you will take the time to experience and enjoy all that our village has to offer. Life happens here, and we look forward to you being a part of it.

Barry I. Bass
President, Village of Lincolnwood
40-Year Lincolnwood Resident

Police and fire departments

Emergency
911

Non-Emergency
Fire Department
(847) 673-1545

Police Department
(847) 673-2167

Community Organizations

Lincolnwood Chamber of Commerce & Industry
(847) 752-4111

Lincolnwood Public Library
(847) 677-5277

Niles Township Food Pantry
(847) 983-0073

Government

Lincolnwood Village Hall
(847) 673-1540

Public Schools

Lincolnwood School District 74
(847) 675-8234

Niles Township High School District 219
(847) 626-3000

Utilities

Cable – Comcast
(866) 594-1234

Electricity – ComEd
(800) 334-7661

Gas – Nicor
(888) 642-6748

Telephone – AT&T
(800) 244-4444

Transit – PACE Bus
(847) 364-PACE

Water, Sewer – Village of Lincolnwood
(847) 673-1540

Waste, Recycling, Yard Waste – Groot
(847) 734-6400

Cook County Contacts

General Information
(312) 443-5500
cookcountyil.gov

Clerk
(312) 603-5656
cookcountyclerk.com

Assessor
(312) 443-7550
cookcountyassessor.com

World Business Chicago
(312) 553-0500
worldbusinesschicago.com

Conveniently located within 10 miles of both downtown Chicago and O’Hare International Airport, Lincolnwood is ideally situated where the North Shore meets Chicago’s north side. Having the tranquility of a quiet suburban setting, Lincolnwood is just minutes from world-class museums and universities, lively nightlife and major sporting events. A Lincolnwood address is just a few miles from the magnificent Lake Michigan shoreline and Cook County Forest Preserves.

Shopping is made easy with the Lincolnwood Town Center, an enclosed mall with about 100 stores. Access to any point in the metropolitan area is convenient with the Edens Expressway/I-94 at Lincolnwood’s doorstep. Commuter rail and rapid-transit routes to downtown Chicago are quick and within easy reach. Both CTA and Pace provide bus service to and within the village.

At only 2.6 square miles and a population of approximately 12,500, Lincolnwood’s close-in location has all of the advantages of suburban life with the big city at its front door.

Lincolnwood means location!

Lincolnwood stats
Incorporated | 1911
Population | 12,590 (approx.)
Land area | 2.6 square miles
State highways | U.S. 50, U.S. 14, and U.S. 41
Federal highways | I-94 to I-90, I-290 and I-294
Distance to Downtown Chicago | 14 miles
Police department | 34 officers
Fire department | 29 full-time
Area hospitals | 11
Schools | 3
PACE bus routes | 4
Banking facilities | 7
Area airports | O’Hare International Airport, Midway Airport, Mitchell Field (Milwaukee, WI) and Gary/Chicago (Gary, IN)
Electricity | ComEd
Water source | City of Chicago/Lake Michigan
Storage capacity | 5.25 million gal.
Amount pumped daily | 1.447 million gal. (avg.)

– Submitted by the Lincolnwood Community Development Department

1816 First inhabitants, Potawatomi Indians, leave area after Indian Boundary Treaty.

1856 German immigrants arrive; European farming settlement begins.

1873 Halfway House Saloon opens as first commercial establishment.

1911 Village incorporated; 359 are residents. The village is first named Tessville after Johann Tess, the first European to settle the area.

1932 Lincoln Avenue becomes a state highway.

Name change Tessville is renamed Lincolnwood in 1936. The name is derived, not directly from the name of the 16th president, but from Lincoln Avenue, which is itself named for former President Lincoln and bisects the community. The name also reflects the planting of 10,000 elm trees along streets in the village during the Great Depression, an effort made possible through the Works Progress Administration.

1938 Lincolnwood Elementary School District 74 opens.

Housing More than half of all houses in Lincolnwood in 2017 were constructed between 1940 and 1959.

1942 Bell & Howell opens facilities, encouraging other businesses to move into the village.

1950 Population grows to 3,072.

1951 Edens Expressway opens.

1960 Population reaches more than 11,700. The Purple Hotel is constructed at the intersection of Lincoln and Touhy avenues. Named for the color of its brick, it becomes a long-standing icon.

1970 Village reaches peak population of 12,929.

1978 Lincolnwood Library District formed; Lincolnwood Chamber of Commerce & Industry created.

Development In the mid-to-late-1980s, the village sees a few multistory condominium buildings. By 1990, the community is fully built out, and redevelopment starts in earnest.

The Lincolnwood Town Center, a 100-store regional mall, is built on the former Bell & Howell headquarters property at McCormick Boulevard and Touhy Avenue, a new village hall complex is built along Lincoln Avenue and the village establishes its first fire department, having relied previously on the City of Chicago for fire service. This wave of redevelopment sees a number of new buildings constructed with Prairie-style architecture.

By 1995, under the efforts of Mayor Madeleine Grant, the first woman president of the village, an economic development commission is formed to help foster continued community redevelopment and to ensure a strong local tax base. Mayor Grant also expands citizen participation in village government by creating several other citizen-led advisory boards.

Since 2000 The village has continued to redevelop itself by spearheading construction of a new business roadway in the Lincolnwood Business Park, creating public parking lots, developing local and regional recreational paths, making enhancements to the Touhy-Crawford Business District and establishing a plan for the revitalization of Lincoln Avenue. Also, the village has attracted new retail business and new health care facilities, as well as new facilities for existing or expanding businesses.

– Source: Lincolnwood Community Development Department. Historical photos courtesy of the Lincolnwood Public Library.

Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation encourages the community to get active, connect with nature and to improve health and wellness by offering residents a wide variety of programs and services including fitness, athletics, after-school activities, senior programs and outdoor recreation.

The parks and recreation department manages over 13 parks, many nestled within neighborhoods and within short walking distance, three bike/pedestrian paths, and an extensive aquatic facility and community center. According to the National Association of Realtors, parks, trails and playgrounds are among the top five most important community amenities that new home owners are looking for, and residences near neighborhood parks account for a 20 percent increase in property values.

Living close to parks and recreation facilities is consistently related to higher physical activity levels for both adults and youth. The Institute of Medicine has stated that the walkability of neighborhoods and access to parks and recreation facilities are essential strategies for preventing childhood obesity.

The Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation Department is committed to supporting the health and wellness of the community. The district’s GO LINCOLNWOOD fitness initiative encourages residents to make a commitment to walk each day for at least 30 minutes for health and wellness. From June to October each year, the park district will host free GO LINCOLNWOOD fitness activities to help residents reach their fitness goals.

The park district’s largest community event of the year is the Lincolnwood Turkey Trot, which is now celebrating its 42nd year. This 5K/10 timed race and 5K fitness walk, which is always held the Sunday before Thanksgiving, also includes a Drumstick Dash for kids 6 and under. The Lincolnwood Turkey Trot attracts over 2,000 registered participants each year, as well as many more who come to cheer on the runners and walkers and to enjoy the festivities surrounding the event. It is a great local event that draws from many surrounding communities and is a source of local pride.

Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation also places a high value on improving the quality of life in Lincolnwood by providing events that serve the entire community. For example, each of the Thursday Night Summer Concert evenings feature free face painting and an inflatable activity for kids that elevate them into mini-festivals that attract upwards of 300 people of all ages to enjoy a relaxing evening in Proesel Park. This year, the park district will present some of the biggest performers in Chicago area, including ABBA Salute, Sushi Roll and The Student Body.

With the support of local business partnerships, Lincolnwood Parks and Recreation is proud to present its annual special event line-up. Visit recreation.lwd.org for more information, and to learn about sponsorship opportunities throughout the year.

WINTER
Lincolnwood Lights Tree Lighting Ceremony (December)
Breakfast with Santa (December)
Daddy-Daughter Dance (February)
Lincolnwood Social Club (55 years+) Valentine’s Day Tea (February)

SPRING
Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony (May)
Mother-Son Bingo at the Lincolnwood Fire Station (May)

SUMMER
Summer Concert Series in Proesel Park (June-July)
Aquatic Center Theme Nights (July-August)
Movie in the Park (August)
Summer Day Camp Family Picnic (July)

FALL
Touch-a-Truck (September)
Family Fun Fest (September)
Pumpkins in Proesel Park Halloween Event (October)
42nd Annual Lincolnwood Turkey Trot 5K/10K Race & 5K Fitness Walk (November)